Dual purpose projectile

ABSTRACT

A dual purpose projectile contains a high explosive shaped charge for use against materiel targets and a plurality of metal balls for use against personnel. An orifice plug is locked against a section of the projectile body to prevent the centrifugal release of the plug and the balls when it is desired to use the projectile solely in its anti-materiel mode. When the projectile is desired to be used against personnel targets and/or materiel the orifice plug is releasably retained only so long as the projectile is within the launching weapon.

tates atei 1191 Johns [451 Sept. 23, 1975 1 DUAL PURPOSE PROJECTILE [75]Inventor: William H. Johns, Verona, NJ.

[73] Assignee: The United States of America as represented by theSecretary of the Army, Washington, DC.

[22] Filed: June 4, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 476,239

3,855,933 12/1974 Messineo 102/56 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS1,579,024 8/1969 France 102/56 Primary Examiner-Verlin R. PendegrassAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Nathan Edelberg; Robert P. Gibson; MaxYarm'ovsky [57] ABSTRACT A dual purpose projectile contains a highexplosive shaped charge for use against materiel targets and a pluralityof metal balls for use against personnel. An orifice plug is lockedagainst a section of the projectile body to prevent the centrifugalrelease of the plug and [56] References Cited the balls when it isdesired to use theprojectile solely in its anti-materiel mode. When theprojectile is de- UNITED STATES PATENTS sired to be used againstpersonnel targets and/or mate- 282,081 1/1975 Wolterman 102/56 riel theifi plug is releasably retained only so long 115113332 15/13112;i'.if11::1.... jiijijji..f? as Projectile is Within the launchingweapon- 3,489,088 1/1970 Ballmoos et a1. 102/61 4 Claims, 3 DrawingFigures US Patent Sept. 23,1975 Sheet 1 of2 3,906,866

US Patent Sept. 23,1975 Sheet 2 of2 3,906,860

DUAL PURPOSE PROJECTILE GOVERNMENTAL INTEREST The invention describedherein may be manufactured, used and licensed by or for the Governmentfor governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royaltythereon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various means have been used in the priorart to reduce the problem of troops having to carry a variety ofprojectiles in order to most efficiently attack and defeat differenttypes of targets. One of the prior art problems with utilizing a varietyof special purpose munitions to defeat different targets has been notonly the cost of carrying additional supplies, but the loss of troopmobility and ability to maintain a prolonged offensive. Use of prior artspecial purpose devices creates logistic problems in determining thequantity and type of each ammunition to carry since the exact type oftarget one will encounter usually is not known.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a dual purposeprojectile which can be used to defeatmateriel and personnel targets.The present invention utilizes a shaped charge to defeat a materiel orhard target, and alternatively a plurality of metal or steel balls as anantipersonnel munition. The present invention combines the effects ofmetered balls and a high explosive antitank shaped charge projectile ina single warhead.

An object of the present invention is to provide a dual purpose,anti-materiel, anti-personnel spin stabilized projectile.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a dual purposespin stabilized projectile which reduces the logistic problems indetermining the quantity and type of munition troops carry.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a dual purposespin stabilized projectile which has increased offensive and defensivecapability for the artillery and tank weapons.

For a better understanding of the present invention, together with otherand further objects thereof, reference is made to the followingdescriptions taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diametral longitudinalcross-sectional view of the dual purpose projectile.

FIG. 2 is a partial plan view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 2.

Throughout the following description like reference numerals are used todenote like parts of the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIG. 1 aprojectile warhead has a cylindrically shaped base 12 having a base rearend 14 and a threaded base front end 16. A rotating band 18 isperipherally positioned in base 12 intermediate rear end 14 and frontend 16. A tracer assembly 20 is axially positioned in the base rear end14. A hollow tubularly shaped body member 22 has an internally threadedbody rear end 24 which is threadedly attached to base front end 16 andan internally threaded body front end 26. A hollow ogivally shapedmember 28 has an externally threaded ogive rear end 30 which isthreadedly attached to tubular body rear end 26, and has a smallertapered internally threaded ogive front end.32. A shaped charge assembly34 is threadedly affixed to the ogive front end 32. The shaped chargeassembly 34 comprises a nose cap 36 which holds a piezoelectrictransducer 38 in its front end, an externally and internally threadedcylindrical support member 40 which is screwed to the ogive front end 32and to the nose cap open end 42, and a conically shaped charge housing44 fixedly positioned in counterbore 46. A fuze 48 is electricallyconnected to the output of transducer 38 by conductor 50 which isaxially positioned in one end of charge housing 44, and a conicallyshaped copper cone 52 is fixedly positioned in the other end of thehousing 44. A high explosive bursting charge 54 is retained in housing44 intermediate fuze 48 and cone 52.

The ogive member 28 has a plurality of transverse radially positionedogive discharge bores 56 therein adjacent the ogive rear end 30. Thebores 56 are releaseably closed by orifice closing plugs 58. A detentedcollar 60, when it is in its closed anti-materiel position, preventsplugs 58 from being centrifugally ejected from bores 56. Steel balls 62,which are smaller in size than ogive discharge bores 56 and can passtherethrough, fill the intervening space between the space chargeassembly 34, the ogive member 28, the body member 22 and the base frontend 16.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, collar 60 is slidably positioned in acircumferential ogive collar groove 66, located in the rear end 30 ofogival member 28, adjacent to body front end 26. When the collar 60 ispositioned in its anti-personnel mode, as shown in FIG. 2, a pluralityof collar discharge bores 68 are axially aligned with orifice plugs 58.In this position collar 60 allows the plugs 68 and the balls 62, shownin FIG. 1, to be discharged when the projectile clears the launchingweapon. A spring loaded detent assembly 70 located in ogival member 28permits the collar 60 to be rotated so that it is either detented byfirst collar locking hole 72 or second hole 74. When the detent assembly70 is located'so that it is axial with first locking hole 72 theprojectile is in its anti-personnel mode. When the detent assembly 70 islocated so that it is axial with the second locking hole 72, the cover60 covers the orifice closing plugs 58 thereby preventing discharge ofballs 62 and thus placing the projectile in its antimateriel mode. Inthe anti-materiel mode, maximum range is achieved because there is noloss in projectile weight with respect to range.

In operation the converging tapered cavity 64 inside the projectile bodycombined with the projectile spin causes balls 62, which may be metal,plastic, ceramic or any other suitable dense material, and may havenon-cylindrical shape to flow toward the outer periphery of the cavity64 to be discharged from the ogive discharge bores 56. When theprojectile is used against personnel targets, the collar 60 ispositioned as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. After the orifice closing plugs 58are discharged due to centrifugal force, caused by projectile spin, theballs 62 are disseminated at high velocity at a pre-determined andcontrolled rate to inflict casualties to personnel. Upon impact with ahard target the shape charge assembly 34 will function causing break upof the projectiles metal parts and cause the copper cone 52 to beejected as a high velocitymolten jet stream. When the projectile isutilized for anti-materiel effects, the orifice closing plugs 58 arelocked into place by collar 60. The plugs 58 prevent discharge of balls62 and permit the projectile to achieve maximum possible range. Onimpact, the piezoelectric element 38 in the noze cap 36 functions thefuze 48. The fuze 48 detonates the bursting charge 54, causing thecopper cone 52 to melt and penetrate the target.

The following disclosure and drawings are merely illustrative of theprinciples of this invention and are not to be interpreted in a limitingsense. 1 wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited tothe exact details of construction shown and described for obviousmodifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new anddesired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A dual purpose projectile having both antimateriel and anti-personnelcapabilities comprising:

a base having a rear end and a threaded front end;

a hollow tubularly shaped body member having an internally threaded rearend and an internally threaded front end, the rear end of said bodymember threadedly attached to the front end of said base;

a hollow ogive member having an externally threaded rear end threadedlyaffixed to the front end of said body member, and a tapered internallythreaded front end, the rear end of said ogive member having a pluralityof radially positioned ogive discharge bores passing transverselythrough said ogive member, and a circumferentially positioned collargroove which communicates with said ogive discharge bores;

a plurality of orifice plugs releaseably positioned in said ogivedischarge bores;

shaped charge assembly means attached to the front end of said ogivemember for penetrating a materiel target upon impact of said projectileon said materiel target;

means for locking said plugs within said bores when said projectile isused in an anti-materiel mode, and for releasing said plugs duringprojectile spin when said projectile is used in an anti-personnel mode;

a plurality of balls contained within said body and ogive membersintermediate said base and said shaped charge assembly means, said ballsbeing ca pable of passing through the bores of said ogive member aftersaid plugs have been ejected by the centrifugal force of said projectilespin when said projectile is in an anti-personnel mode.

2. A dual purpose projectile as'recited in claim 1 wherein the shapedcharge assembly means comprises:

a cylindrically shaped support member having externally and internallythreaded sections thereon and a counterbore therein, said support memberbeing threadedly attached by the externally threaded section to thefront end of said ogive member;

a nose cap having an open rear end threadedly attached to the internallythreaded section of said support member, and a front end;

a piezoelectric transducer fixedly positioned to the front end of saidnose cap;

a conically shaped charge housing fixedly positioned in saidcounterbore;

a fuze axially positioned in one end of said charge housing, said fuzebeing electrically connected to the output of said transducer;

a conically shaped metal cone fixedly positioned in the other end ofsaid charge housing; and

an explosive bursting charge positioned intermediate said fuze and saidcone.

3. A dual purpose projectile as recited in claim 1 wherein the means forlocking comprises:

a collar rotatably positioned in the groove around the rear end of saidogive member, said collar having a plurality of collar discharge borestherein and a first and second detent hole; and

a spring loaded detent assembly means for locking said collar in saidanti-personnel mode when said detent assembly means is located inalignment with said first detent hole and in said anti-materiel modewhen said detent assembly means is located in alignment with said seconddetent hole.

4. A dual purpose projectile as recited in claim 1 wherein the balls aremetal spheres.

1. A dual purpose projectile having both anti-materiel and antipersonnelcapabilities comprising: a base having a rear end and a threaded frontend; a hollow tubularly shaped body member having an internally threadedrear end and an internally threaded front end, the rear end of said bodymember threadedly attached to the front end of said base; a hollow ogivemember having an externally threaded rear end threadedly affixed to thefront end of said body member, and a tapered internally threaded frontend, the rear end of said ogive member having a plurality of radiallypositioned ogive discharge bores passing transversely through said ogivemember, and a circumferentially positioned collar groove whichcommunicates with said ogive discharge bores; a plurality of orificeplugs releaseably positioned in said ogive discharge bores; shapedcharge assembly means attached to the front end of said ogive member forpenetrating a materiel target upon impact of said projectile on saidmateriel target; means for locking said plugs within said bores whensaid projectile is used in an anti-materiel mode, and for releasing saidplugs during projectile spin when said projectile is used in ananti-personnel mode; a plurality of balls contained within said body andogive members intermediate said base and said shaped charge assemblymeans, said balls being capable of passing through the bores of saidogive member after said plugs have been ejected by the centrifugal forceof said projectile spin when said projectile is in an anti-personnelmode.
 2. A dual purpose projectile as recited in claim 1 wherein theshaped charge assembly means comprises: a cylindrically shaped supportmember having externally and internally threaded sections thereon and acounterbore therein, said support member being threadedly attached bythe externally threaded section to the front end of said ogive member; anose cap having an open rear end threadedly attached to the internallythreaded section of said support member, and a front end; apiezoelectric transducer fixedly positioned to the front end of saidnose cap; a conically shaped charge housing fixedly positioned in saidcounterbore; a fuze axially positioned in one end of said chargehousing, said fuze being electrically connected to the output of saidtransducer; a conically shaped metal cone fixedly positioned in theother end of said charge housing; and an explosive bursting chargepositioned intermediate said fuze and said cone.
 3. A dual purposeprojectile as recited in claim 1 wherein the means for lockingcomprises: a collar rotatably positioned in the groove around the rearend of said ogive member, said collar having a plurality of collardischarge bores therein and a first and second detent hole; and a springloaded detent assembly means for locking said collar in saidanti-personnel mode when said detent assembly means is located inalignment with said first detent hole and in said anti-materiel modewhen said detent assembly means is located in alignment with said seconddetent hole.
 4. A dual purpose projectile as recited in claim 1 whereinthe balls are metal spheres.